Still Waters
STILL WATERS
ReportSEP 1 — 8, 2026
🌊
Flow
—CFS
🌡️
Water Temp
—
☀️
Weather
40–71°F
Mostly Sunny
🎣
Reported By
Bruce Staples
On the water
Ririe Reservoir is running low, with the Blacktail launch docks pulled and the Juniper launch site on Meadow Creek Road the only access point open. Kokanee are actively running — get a full-sink or sink-tip line rigged with bright orange or pink before Wednesday's gusts hit 35 mph.
From the ShopBruce Staples · September 1, 2026
Because of low water in Ririe Reservoir, the docks at the Blacktail launch site have been pulled, making the Juniper launch site (accessible from the Meadow Creek Road) the only one open there.
Kokanee are running in Ririe Reservoir. Use full-sink or sink-tip lines with brightly colored fluorescent orange or pink streamer and woolly bugger patterns to attract them.
Fish salvage regulations are being applied to a few southern Idaho irrigation reservoirs drained down to the extreme.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee Salmon (run) | N/A | Active — fish are running | All day; mornings before wind |
| Chironomid / Midge | #16–22 | Moderate — typical September still-water presence | Early morning and evening |
| Leech | #10–14 | Steady — productive reservoir searching pattern | Morning and overcast periods |
Best Time Window
- EARLY MORNING (first light to 9 AM): Calmest conditions at Juniper launch; get on the water before crowds and wind build — strip bright streamers on a full-sink line through the Kokanee run.
- MIDDAY TO EARLY AFTERNOON (10 AM to 2 PM): Mostly sunny and 71°F today; continue working the run with sink-tip lines and fluorescent orange or pink woolly buggers before afternoon thermals kick up.
- AVOID WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: Winds forecast to gust to 35 mph — unsafe for reservoir boat fishing; plan around the morning window only if you go Wednesday.
Guide's Tip
From the benchMadison specifically calls for fluorescent orange and pink — colors not always stocked in standard streamer bins. If you tie your own, a simple woolly bugger in UV fluorescent orange or hot pink on a #6–10 hook is the most direct match for what's working on the Kokanee right now. At the Juniper launch, plan your approach before you rig: the ramp is the only game in town, so expect company and launch early to beat the crowds and Wednesday's forecasted 35 mph gusts.
Main Species
Rainbow Trout
Brook Trout
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
